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Bar owners in Toronto are not expecting dramatic changes to pricing and services provided in their sports cable packages now that Rogers has slam-dunked ownership of NHL broadcasting rights.

But Eddie Espinola, owner of Filthy McNasty’s in the Yonge-Eglinton area, says it’s also too early in the process to dispel all fears regarding changes to the way his establishment carries NHL hockey for its clientele.

“I have Rogers Cable anyways, and I buy all their packages, so it’s not much of a change,” Espinola said. “But we haven’t received any information yet.”

Espinola, like most of the major bars and restaurants catering largely to sports fans, were introduced to a new schematic for the availability of hockey games under the Rogers-NHL deal.

The potential for rate increases to Rogers sports television packages could leave bar owners facing a possible trickle-down effect on the prices they charge for alcohol, food and services.

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But Espinola sees television packages like NHL Centre Ice — and other highly popular TV packages like UFC, NBA, and Major League Baseball — available from the same providers he already uses. Espinola says he purchases all the packages he needs — “and I have them all” — from Premium Sports in Vancouver, which specializes in providing sports packages to bars and restaurants.

With Rogers now holding NHL broadcasting rights for the next 12 years, it can potentially own a monopoly for every bar in Canada that either purchases the NHL Centre Ice package from Premium Sports or Rogers channels like Sportsnet directly from the Rogers.

“(The deal) happened (Wednesday) so it’s too early to determine how it will affect us, but having said that, I don’t want to lose clients over it,” Espinola said.

“When beer prices go up, we sit on the old prices . . . then you have no choice after that. You hope this isn’t the same thing.”

Rogers said Wednesday it has yet to determine future rates and how they will affect the “bundles” packages bar owners, as well as individual subscribers, rely on from the communications giant.

The CRTC will monitor any pricing releases to ensure Rogers’ stations like Sportsnet and other content providers are passing along any increases equally and fairly. The CRTC will likely also act as a watchdog over Rogers to prevent the broadcaster from hiking fees — anything from cell phones to Blue Jays tickets — to help pay for the $5.2 billion price tag it paid for the NHL rights.

Carlos Gavilanes, an owner at the popular Shoeless Joes on King St., says “90 per cent of the hockey fans I have are Leafs fans,” which he feels will help deflect any potential rate increases.

While Gavilanes also purchases his sports packages through Premium Sports, Leaf games are the most viewed product in his bar, and they will remain available from a principle supplier like Sportsnet.

“I’m not overly worried about the new deal,” Gavilanes said.

“I think it’s great for the fans, they can get games that weren’t readily available before. But our Leaf fans here at my bar are here to support the team. If I had a big following for Montreal or Ottawa or Pittsburgh, then I might be a bit more worried because they may not be available on regular channels. But I don’t think the Rogers deal will have an impact on the hockey fan who is a big Leafs supporter and wants to go to his local bar to watch Leaf games.”

Both Gavilanes and Espinola are hopeful there could be a price break forthcoming from Rogers: the communications company owns a 37.5 per cent equity stake in MLSE, which owns the Leafs and had Forbes Magazine value the hockey team at $1.15 billion (U.S.), tops in the NHL.

Rogers also maintains 100 per cent ownership of the Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre while having strategic partnerships with the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers. It also has long-term deals with the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, NCAA, the Rogers Cup, international soccer and other global sports.

If anything, this new access to hockey and other sports could prompt fans to watch more sports television at home instead of in bars.

“People have more flat screens these days, so you have to be ready for everything,” Espinola said.

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